Pac-12 Networks: DirecTV non-update and the league’s letter to fans

I don’t have any carriage news as it regards DirecTV (or any other provider) a mere three days before the Pac-12 Networks air their first conference game, Cal at USC.

Four of the five biggest providers in the nation have already signed up (with a few caveats: DISH is only offering the National feed; Comcast and Cox aren’t offering any feeds on certain systems, etc.).

The lone holdout is DirecTV, and that’s a big holdout.

DTV is second only to Comcast in total customers nationwide, but its reputation as the sports leader and dominance of the sports bar scene would seem to put it, at the very least, on par with Comcast from a practical sense.

To recap: Negotiations were moving along until the two sides reached an impasse on the Tuesday of the first week of the season, and there has been little or no movement since.

If they don’t reach a deal this week, with Cal-USC, then an agreement seemingly becomes less likely — not impossible, but less likely.

Sensing the moment, the conference is using a PR blitz to pressure DTV, and I mean blitz.: If this were a football game, the Pac-12 would be sending three linebackers and a safety after the quarterback.

The vehicle: Another letter to fans, with no punches pulled.

Here it is:

Dear Pac-12 fan,

It was another fantastic weekend of Pac-12 football, with three wins by top-25 Pac-12 teams on Pac-12 Networks.

Unfortunately, once again DirecTV customers didn’t get to see the games.

We have been hearing from tens of thousands of you about how frustrated you are missing these games. We share your disappointment.

Despite your thousands of emails, tweets, calls and posts, DirecTV is tuning out its loyal customers and still refusing to reach a fair agreement.

While we cannot explain it, so far DirecTV, which has always claimed to be the “sports leader,” is simply not interested in offering its customers the Pac-12 Networks. That means fans like you could lose a full season of conference matchups, including Cal at USC and Utah at Arizona State this Saturday.

We find DirecTV’s position baffling. First, the deal we’ve offered DirecTV is fundamentally similar to the deal that has already been accepted by DISH, four of the largest cable companies in the country and more than 40 others. How can a deal that works for all those companies be “unaffordable” for DirecTV, the largest satellite TV provider in the country and the company that built its brand offering every subscriber the “all the sports they crave”?

Second, DirecTV’s claim that the games on the Pac-12 Network are not of interest is absurd. In college football, every game is a big game – something we’d all expect the leader in sports to understand, particularly when it offers its customers Big Ten Network, CBS College and many regional sports networks. While we admire our Rose Bowl brethren at the Big Ten, why shouldn’t Pac-12 fans and alums be insulted by DirecTV’s decision to trivialize the games that matter to them? Just like those Big Ten fans, we want to see every game our teams play.

Put simply, DirecTV is failing its customers and betraying its promise to be the sports leader. Based on the company’s position today, fans will miss out on 20 upcoming conference football games airing on the Pac-12 Networks, nearly half of the season’s remaining conference games, including some of the most compelling rivalries in the country. Fans will also miss out on the 20 hours of in-depth analysis, coaches’ shows and previews that air each week, as well as the 150 men’s basketball games, (nearly 70 percent of all Conference games) including eight tournament matchups, scheduled to air later this year.

We will continue to work day and night to achieve 100 percent distribution for all Pac-12 fans, and we appreciate all you’ve done to help with those efforts thus far. We hope you will continue making your voice heard, but with the distinct possibility that DirecTV fails to recognize the value of offering the Pac-12 Networks to its customers for the long haul you should also consider other providers in your area that offer the Pac-12 Networks. By standing up for your rights as a consumer, you can shape the behavior of the companies, like DirecTV, that are supposed to serve you.

Tell your provider to reach a fair agreement to carry Pac-12 Networks today or switch to one of the more than 40 cable and satellite distributors that does offer Pac-12 Networks in your area …

Jon Wilner

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Its never going to be a fair deal to directv. they had a system built in that handed them pac 12 fans nationwide.

now larry scotts gone and changed the deal. he wants directv to pay for what they were previously given for free. directv would just assume that pac12 athletic deptarment continue to cut their programs than having to actually pay for it.

if “cheap charlie” ergen @ dish network is the industry standard for arrogant douchebaggery. if he can dig his short arms into his deep pockets quicker than your television provider can, you can be 99.9% its your television provider thats the problem

StanTheMan

@Chris & others like me who have DirecTV – Call them and say “retention” at the prompt. Don’t email, tweet, text, etc. – SPEAK TO A HUMAN BEING. Tell them you no longer value their service to the same extent because of their inability to reach an agreement, unlike every single one of their major competitors. Ask them what they are going to do to keep you from hanging up and calling Comcast.

I got free NFL Sunday Ticket Max ($300) and $30/month off for the next 12 months. I will find a way to watch the games I miss.

Jim Jones

Stan they are givingNFLTicket away to any new subscriber right now because they cannot sell it for anywhere near 300 dollars. They are giving away stuff to retainbecause they have unhappy customers. Corporaitons that have happy customers do not have to give stuff away to keep customers from leaving.

Joseph

Jon–Any word on negotiations with AT&T u-verse?

David

@StantheMan -

Again, you are part of the problem. Thanks for taking their giveaways at the expense of locking you in for another 12 months. You are doing exactly what they expect.

For the rest of the DirecTV subscribers who have moved on to Dish or one of the Cable operators – bravo.

CB1

@Wired, one advantage DISH has (and directv if they sign the same deal) is that not all subscribers have to pay for RSN’s… they offer the AT120 pack for $5 less than AT120+, and the only difference is RSN’s. That’s a good deal for the sat companies (DTV does the same thing with Entertainment and Choice). It’s better than what cable companies get… they HAVE to include the regional sports channels on ALL starter packages in their respective cities as part of their agreements… whether that’s with P12, TW (lakers), FSN, CSN, etc.

So some advantages and disadvantages between the two.

P12 might have screwed up by not getting the P12 distributed by cable nationwide in a guarantee from Cox and Comcast. But the money is close to inconsequential either way, which is why it’s so strange. Hopefully the DISH availability would push these companies to carry P12 since it’s silly to lose a premium customer over $.10 on a $140+ package.

In regard to the $150k per month that DTV would have to pay over Comcast for those national out of market subs, that is a very small number compared to what DTV can save by splitting off the RSN’s. If the p12 sells for $.80 per month and the 5 million in market basic customers have to subscribe, DTV’s bill is $4 million per month. If DTV can push what 20% to 30% off of paying for regional sports offering a lower tier that is not allowed in the TWC and Comcast deals, they are saving FAR FAR more than the $150k you are claiming they pay extra nationally. (I don’t know the splits for choice vs entertainment, but even at levels as low as 5%, DTV is saving).

Hell, DTV even charges a RSN surcharge in some markets (Time Warner/ Lakers contract will surely affect LA’s surcharge) – which essentially means they will never lose money adding RSN’s unless a sub WHO LIKES sports switches. SUBS who don’t like sports can do entertainment pack only, exclude the RSN’s and their fees and are NOT affected at all.

A)How many subs in LA would switch from DTV to TWC to protest $.80 cents for the P12?
B)How many subs from LA will switch from DTV to dish/cable over the Pac 12 network?

I think B is far greater than A, which is why DTV should get this deal done. If they don’t do it, I’d say it’s out of pride.

Steve Degarmo

As someone who left DTV even before this whole issue came to a head, none of this surprises me. DTV couldn’t care less about their existing customers, or keeping them happy. Sure, you can call and threaten to cancel, and they’ll throw some programming and discounts at you. But it all pales in comparison to what they give new subcribers, AND to exactly what they turn around and offer you a couple weeks after you do cancel. It’s like their entire business model is based on churn.

For the record, I couldn’t be happier after leaving DTV. They no longer have the equipment/DVR advantages they once had. They no longer have as big of an NFL advantage, with so many systems carrying Red Zone now. I’m *much* happier with NFL RZ + P12 nets.

CB1

I’ll add one more thing to my final question – a subscriber who is not happy with ~$.80 increase due to P12, cannot even switch to Comcast, TWC or dish in protest… because those companies are CARRYING and PAYING for P12 at the same rate!

John Westley

I have been badgering Direct into adding the Pac-12 Networks for two months. Finally, I told them I was switching. The representative promised me that a deal could be reached very soon … and in the meantime, he would take $18 off my monthly bill for a full year. I thought about it, then said, no, that wasn’t enough, that I wanted the Pac-12 Network. So he gave me free Stars and Encore. OK, it isn’t as good as the Pac-12 Network, but at least I am keeping money away from Direct until they reach a deal.

Bellingdawg

I left comcast because of their heavy handed policies in other areas..I have DirecTv and have tons of football to watch…I can get the huskies on the radio if need be…but do I realllly need to see Utah/Oregon State?..ummmm..no…

Devil Fan

Those of you who are taking discounts are causing Direct to dig in their heels even deeper. Why should they take on thh PAC 12 if they can buy off their customers.

If the susscribers keep taking discounts instead of the PAC 12 coverage we won’t see the PAC 12 on Direct for five years.

StanTheMan

@David – my DirecTV bill is now lower than the local Comcast 12-month promotional rate. And Comcrap sucks around here and they don’t have Sunday Ticket.

@DevilFan – on the contrary, what I am doing is costing DirecTV money because they don’t have a PTN deal. If they need to offer that discount to enough people it starts to add up.

StanTheMan

And if they don’t have PTN by this time next year I will jump ship.

Jim Jones

Wellsaid Devil Fan. Well said. Wow a die hard Wildcat fan agreeing with a Devil Fan. Firstif they giv e you NFL Ticket they are giving that away now to every new subscriber. If it was that good a deal they would not give it away. Seconndly these discounts to buy you off insult you and our conference. These is not going to ba any reduction in price for them. Right now Dish and over 40 carriers have signed on at whatever the price (alleged to be .80) ifthey were to reduce it to say .75 per sub this would automatically reduce the price on on the others to .75 and that would more thanwipe out the value of geting them. I seldom agree with OT but I believe we are looking at 2years maybe longer before this is settled. Incidentally the .80 figure is not necessarily what it is since they do not release this information norwill either side disclose these facts. Whatever the fees agreed to by 40 carriers if they give a better deal to Direct then the others get it. There is room to negotiate on which subscription level they have for footprint and nationally but not onprice.

I am so freaking sick of this. It is really complete crap that Directv tells us we do not need the network.

It’s all coming to an end for me and Directv. Michael White and his entire executive team can kiss mine.

jeff

How about all of us stuck with CHARTER across the country? What is the holdup with them? I am in TAHOE ,and can’t even watch CAL and Stanford games which are meant to be shown in this region!

Why can’t these three organizations set aside their greed and put together a fair deal that will satisfy all parties concerned! Until that happens you will continue to see bad press everywhere!

If you can make a deal with DISH then you can with the others as well!

Os Beaver

@MostWanted

Pac-12 Now online access is coming and part of the deal with Dish Networks. Hopefully in the next few weeks that part will be done. The good news is that they have plenty of overflow channels so it is isn’t too big of a concern yet.

For instance right now we have Cal vs Stanford Volleyball on HD on Channel 413. We have OSU vs Oregon VB in HD on Channel 5454 and CU vs Utah on 5456. Only game we are missing is USC-UCLA. They also have a 2nd HD feed of Cal-Stanford on 9535 right now that ideally would be USC-UCLA. Point is for almost all of the football, and basketball we will be covered with these alternate channels. Sign up with DISH. You’ll love the Pac-12 Networks! If you want email me at beaverbyte1@gmail.com and we can both save $50.

Jacob Wang

Who owns DirecTV?

Jim Jones

USC and UCLA is on ESPNU

http://Dannyduck@comcast.net Daniel Wolfe

I am very pleased with the Comcast carriers so far. I love college football and am a huge Oregon Duck fan and PAC 12 fan. I couldn’t care less about the NFL. Apparently Direct TV is hanging it’s it’s hat on the Sunday ticket. That is the last thing I want. My daughter has dish and is very happy.

Although figures never released by any conference i believe our price same as old BTN price which they have raised for contract renewals and thisis where Dish has a problem. Direct will also have a contract withBTN and will fight the raise.

ojbubbagray

After 9 years as a loyal customer, I made the switch from DTV to Comcast. I get all the channels I got before and the 2 PAC12s. I also get the NFL Red Zone which in my mind is 10x better than the NFL ticket. I see every scoring play in near realtime and no commercials. I am also only paying $60~ a month. I was paying $110 with DTV for essentially the same channels BUT I did not get Pac12 and NFL Red Zone.

The User Interface is not as good, but I was able to get up to speed fast.

The iPad remote app is particularly good as a supplement to the lagging Comcast on-screen UI.

DTV will also lose NFL Ticket exclusivity at the end of this football season and it behooves the NFL to negotiate and distribute to all 5 major providers.

DIRECTV wants to offer PAC-12 National on SPORTS PACK ONLY, even within the PAC-12 states.

There is NO CHANCE the PAC-12 will accept that condition because it will give DISH, Comcast, Cox, and Time Warner Cable the excuse to remove PAC-12 Network (national on DISH, regional on the cablecos) from the digital basic tier.

The two sides about $30-40 million/year apart based on my estimates.

–

If you absolutely need PAC-12 Networks, then switch from DIRECTV.

If you are a more casual PAC-12 fan and you value NFL Sunday Ticket, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, etc., then call DIRECTV and say “retention” to ask for goodies i.e. free NFL Sunday Ticket.

The choice is up to you.

Todd Fuller

I love CAL football, but could honestly care less about the Pac12 network. Most of the marquee PAC12 games will be on ESPN or FOX. Utah vs Colorado has zero interest….Comcast is the worst. I moved to DTV in June and slashed my bill in half! And let’s face it, CAL is going to get blasted by USC anyway, so why even watch and get mad at Tedford for being incompetent.

DISH and Pac-12 Networks are working together to make our Pac-12 Now service, also known as TV Everywhere, available in the coming weeks. Once this service is launched, DISH Network customers who receive Pac-12 Networks on television will be able to access all seven networks on their computers, their iPads, and eventually, their iPhones and Android phones.

http://www.wireddevils.com/ Wired Devils

@OT I know you get some grief on this board but I think your post #76 is a great summary of the current situation.

Doing some quick math with rounded numbers, let’s assume DTV has 20 million total subscribers, of which 5 million are in footprint. Let’s assume 20% of those (1 million) have sports tier.

Let’s also assume conference is charging 70 cents per household per month within the footprint.

If DTV carries network on basic tier, cost is $42 million per year. If they carry it on sports tier only, cost is $8.4 million.

Obviously some of these numbers are guesses, but agree that the difference is probably in that $30 million per year range.

I don’t see any way the conference can cave and allow DTV to carry the Network on the sports tier in the footprint without that having a major impact on the current carriers. So starting to believe that there could be no agreement for a year or two.

30 mil/year sounds like a lot but if DTV loses 150,000 (a number so low OT says it’s not significant) at $75/mo (another low number) they lose $11+ million per MONTH, or around $140 mil/year. I’d give someone a dollar if I get more than 4 in return. I’d do that repeatedly. They will make money, they’re fighting over making even more money at the Pac’s expense.

http://www.wireddevils.com/ Wired Devils

@ccrider55 agreed. All the math we’re doing here is what DTV is doing themselves. It’s pretty simple cost/benefit analysis. I am really skeptical that 150,000 people would switch from DTV because of the P12net. I just don’t think Pac-12 fans overall have that level of passion, and as many have noted, the vast majority of the marquee games are not on the P12net.

Message boards are not a great sample, but my informal observation is that for every person who is saying they will switch from DTV, there are five saying they will not.

It’s always possible that the numbers will become more significant in January, once the NFL regular season is over and Pac-12 fans start to miss their basketball. Who knows?

Clark Burbidge

I went through this for 3 years with the crazy mountain network. It actually did as much as any single issue to destroy the conference. It was a direct contributor to the best teams in the conference moving to other situations Utah, BSU, TCU, BYU etc. DirectTV is completely insensitive to consumer letters and calls. That is a wasted effort.

It is the Pac 12s problem if there is no alternative established, not DirectTV, they are who they have always been, stupid. The Pac12 network MUST arrange alternative access via pay-per-view or allow local channels or Fox to pick up the games. That MUST start this weekend prior to the USC-Cal game.

It is not DirectTV that will lose its cred here. It is the Pac12 and to maintain it they need to announce alternative programming that will allow Fox, ESPN or local channels to carry the game. Adjust or watch your plans and credibility be crushed while pointing fingers.

ccrider55

Wired D:

True. I’m not sure where you’d find impartial predictions, or actual change numbers. We’ve heard numbers from half a mil down to 100k. The point I was making is that even 40k leaving is a net loss, not even counting all the cost/loss involved in the freebees they are giving out to “retain” subs, who may or may not really be doing anything but are looking for a deal (“retaining” those not leaving anyway).

ccrider55

Wired D:

It isn’t that marquee games are on ESPN, Fox, etc (which holding back 40% of inventory keep from being a certainty), it is that fans of teams other than the usual national kings make up easily the majority of the viewing public. Yes, they will watch marquee matchups but they also want to see their particular teams. If the market revolved around only marquee matchups we would still have ABC game of the week and a few regional broadcasts. ESPN would still be showing equestrian, Geländesprunging, endurance swimming, ice racing, etc.

COUSIN MAYNARD

LOL @ #84! Yeah it was all about that stuff and aussie rules!

and i hear ya Chris, for you all who like that NFL GARBAGE why do you even bother with college?

if football league were restaurants the nfl would be mcdonalds, why go out of your way to the steakhouse that is CFB when you can find your greasy gutbombs anywhere

Dan

I’m a Comcast subscriber who had to switch to Dish, because Comcast refused to offer the Pac-12 Network locally. I’m relatively pleased with Dish, although I would like to know when TV Anywhere will be available. Dish seems to be putting every game on, in every sport — most in HD. So until there is more regional programming on the regional channels, Dish is the closest you’ll get to having all the channels.

My only complaint is that the taped events are only in SD. When they carry the Big Ten Network (currently in a dispute, my other big complaint about Dish), it gets full-time HD. P12N should get the same. And why isn’t ESPNU in HD on Dish?

alchemist

Robber Baron 83:

If you need your Mad Men you can get HD digital downloads through iTunes typically a couple hours after the show airs. You also have a bit of an ace as The Walking Dead comes back in a couple weeks and with the ratings that thing gets Dish might finally end up striking something with AMC.

ccrider55

DTV CEO: ” Through our wireless offering to NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ customers and the new broadband service to non-customers, we’re now able to expand the reach to even more NFL fans everywhere.”

Does this mean DTV is offering Sunday Ticket as a stand alone internet subscription (“?.. new broadband service to non-customers… “), enabling Dish or cable customers who want P12N, and Sunday Ticket, to get them without becoming a DTV subscriber? Seems odd if true.

Stephen

@ccrider55: Sunday Ticket is available to PS3 owners for $300 per season.

Ron

Have I missed something?? What happened to the PAC 12 being on Fox Sports West? I’m just not sure college football is worth paying extra money for. Since I’m already paying out the ass for a lot of channels, 90% of which I never watch. So now, I am stuck watching Notre Dame and the Florida schools on our local channels? All TV providers suck! I hate greed!

Randy B

I for one am a UCLA fan.But I hold the PAC-12 network and the pompous jerk SCOTT personally responsible.He is killing the pac12 audience.At first i was happy with the infusion of money into the coffers of the schools.Now I wish they had just stayed with Fox/Prime Ticket so the fans could still enjoy thier college sports.I realize that college sports is ALL ABOUT THE MONEY….but sometimes greed kills the product.

Duane L

I’ve been a Directv customer for 10 years, and they’ve never impressed me with much. I’m ready to go to DishTV. I want the Pac 12 Network.

JOHN

My contract with direct will be up in jan…so ill miss PAC 12 football but come jan ill be watching pac12 basketball good bye greedy direct HELLO COX !!!!

DERRILL mANLEY

I simply want to watch my UoA wildcats play football and basketball. It seems to me that DirecTV has settled in for a protracted, ongoing,
attempt to holdout and hope people just forget about their football
season. Well, I am not forgetting. If things do not change soon, I will drop Directtv, and move over to a different carrier.

Sincerely,

Derrill B. Manley, Ph.D, uofa class of 1973

Jackie Shelton

As a long Direct TV subscriber, my family is pretty bummed out that we can’t watch this channel. Direct Tv and Pac 12 channel: GET TO THE TABLE AND GET IT DONE!! thank you.

Theodore Head

I think there are a lot of directv subscribers who will leave once this years NFL Sunday Ticket is over. I know i will be switching tv providers. Why the hell should i have to pay directv for the big10 network and not get pac12 networks. Directv nickles and dimes you to death for everything anyway – good riddance.